The University Faculty Scholars Program recognizes outstanding faculty members at the West Lafayette campus who are on an accelerated path for academic distinction. Eligible faculty must hold the rank of tenure associate or full professor and have been in that rank for no more than five years. In addition to meeting university criteria, Engineering UFS nominees must demonstrate impact and evidence of the impact of their work, as well as a compelling vision of the potential impact of future activities, that is supported by external reference letters. Members of the Engineering Named Professorship Committee review nominations and make recommendations to the Dean of Engineering.

Faculty Scholars are appointed for a nonrenewable five-year term and receive an annual $10,000 discretionary allocation. Kim’s term begins on July 1, 2021.

Kim’s main areas of research include data-driven biophotonics and hybridization of physical and digital properties. He is also working on reciprocal innovation such that a mobile health (mHealth) application developed in resource-limited settings can be brought back to developed country settings. Kim also serves as co-director of the Interdisciplinary Biomedical Science Program and has affiliations with Regenstrief Center for Healthcare Engineering, Purdue Quantum Science and Engineering Institute, and Purdue Center for Cancer Research.